Griese returns to his roots, hoping to reinvent his career

Out of chances in Denver, QB lands back at home

TIM REYNOLDSAssociated Press Writer

Published Sunday, June 15, 2003

DAVIE -- Brian Griese was born in South Florida, so it seems only fitting that he wants his football career to be reborn here.

Once touted as John Elway's heir apparent, Griese knows he now has to prove himself again. Four years as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos proved unfulfilling and, at times, unproductive for Griese, who's embarking on a new role: backup quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.

"I'm going to go out there and work hard. I'm going to get better, I'm going to learn from my mistakes and I'm going to be there when my team needs me," Griese said.

"That's what I'm looking forward to getting back to here in Miami."

Griese, 28, signed a two-year deal on Monday with the Dolphins, his hometown team and the one his Hall of Fame father, Bob Griese, quarterbacked to two Super Bowl victories and one perfect season over a 14-year career.

It's the first time in NFL history that father-and-son quarterbacks have played for the same franchise.

"It's something I never thought would happen, but now that it has, I'm glad it has," said Bob Griese, now a college football analyst for ABC.

"It's not necessarily Brian wearing the same colors and playing for the same team that I did, because when you look at it, they're two different teams. Different ownership, different coaching, different players."

The younger Griese spent his first five NFL seasons in Denver, one as a reserve quarterback, four as the starter, and always in the shadow left behind by Elway and his career-closing consecutive Super Bowl championships.

That shadow was as dark as a lump of coal last Christmas Day, when Griese learned he wouldn't be starting Denver's regular-season finale. It was the beginning of the end for his tenure with the Broncos, who saved $6.3 million in salary cap space over the next two seasons by releasing him on June 2.

"Most of the blame will always go to the quarterback position. That's the nature of it," Denver coach Mike Shanahan said last December.

Under Griese, Denver went to only one playoff game in four seasons. He was just 27-24 as a starter there, simply never living up to expectations. The Broncos signed quarterback Jake Plummer to a seven-year, $40 million deal in March.

In South Florida, at least in the beginning, there is no burden of stratospheric expectations. He's the backup whose first formal on-field workout is Monday, when the Dolphins open a three-day quarterback school at their Davie practice facility.

Griese still believes he can start in the NFL, but readily acknowledges that Miami is Jay Fiedler's team, not Brian Griese's. The Dolphins and Griese both insist there is no quarterback controversy and that Fiedler will be Miami's starter this September.

"Jay is a hell of a quarterback. I think he's tough. I think he's smart. He makes good decisions and he knows how to win," Griese said.

Fiedler, who is 28-13 as a starter but has only one playoff win on his resume, has not publicly addressed the Griese acquisition. A team spokesman said Fiedler's next media availability will be after Monday's practice.

The Dolphins saw a need to upgrade their quarterback corps this offseason, in large part because Ray Lucas went 2-4 as their starter when Fiedler broke his thumb midway through the 2002 campaign. That slump contributed to Miami's first playoff-free season in six years.

Miami's interest in Griese was widely presumed for several months, especially after Lucas' release in April. But Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said Fiedler has responded positively to the challenge of having an established NFL starter battling him for playing time.

"He's had the best offseason since I've been here," Wannstedt said. "The guy is really throwing the ball well, he understands the offense, he's off to his best start and he will have an outstanding year."

Griese, too, feels he's in position to prove he can still lead a team. He said he's recovered from shoulder and knee injuries that plagued him in Denver last season and insists that he understands the situation in Miami.

At least for now, he's ready to be a backup. But last year, when Shanahan made the Christmas Day proclamation that Griese was relegated to reserve duty, he was far less accepting of the role.

"It hurt worse than anything I could imagine, not being able to finish the season with my teammates," he said.

"But I think those things that don't kill you make you stronger."

Bob Griese knows as well as anyone how important it is for a team to have two capable quarterbacks.

He started the Dolphins' first five games of their perfect 1972 season before breaking his right leg and dislocating his ankle against San Diego. Earl Morrall replaced him and started the last nine regular-season games, then engineered a fourth-quarter rally against Cleveland in an AFC playoff.

Bob Griese came off the bench in the second half of Miami's victory over Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game, then helped lead Miami to its 14-7 win in Super Bowl VII against Washington.

The elder Griese sees a parallel between the first five years of his career and his son's first five pro seasons.

"He's been in the league five years, he's played a lot of ball games, he's thrown a lot of passes, he's got a lot of experience to pull on," Bob Griese said. "There's no question that the best is ahead, because I know the best was ahead for me when I was at that stage."

To say Brian Griese's football career has been marked by ups and downs would be cliche, but accurate nonetheless.

He was a relatively unheralded high school quarterback at Miami Columbus High, but still earned a scholarship to Michigan. There, he was a backup throughout much of his career and was ready to put football behind him once he earned his degree.

"I was going to go to graduate school and get another degree and go to work," he said. "My brother convinced me to come back to Michigan for a fifth year."

Good call. Griese was the starter for the 12-0 Wolverines, who won the Rose Bowl and shared the national championship. The next season, Griese won a Super Bowl ring as Denver's third quarterback.

He hasn't been close to a ring since, but sees that changing in Miami.

Brian Griese Bio

AGE: 28 (Born March 18, 1975)

NFL HIGHLIGHTS: Entering sixth NFL season. Signed two-year contract with Miami Dolphins on Monday. ... Best season was 2000, when his touchdown-to-interception ratio (19:4) was the second-best in NFL history. Was a Pro Bowl selection that season, during which he led the NFL in passer rating (102.9). ... 27-24 in four seasons as Denver's starter. ... Has thrown for 11,763 yards, 71 touchdowns and 53 interceptions in NFL career.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS: Lettered in football, basketball and golf at Miami Columbus High. ... Threw for 2,356 yards and 19 touchdowns in high school football career, capped by a third-team All-State selection.

QUOTE: "I think that we all understand the opportunity that this team has this year and I do, too."

And I'm happy and I'm looking forward to being a part of helping out in any way I can."